Production and quality of cowpea seeds desiccated with saflufenacil and flumioxazin

ABSTRACT The use of desiccants allows to anticipate cowpea harvest at a time closer to physiological maturity. The desiccants saflufenacil and flumioxazin promote the drying and falling of leaves and loss of water from seeds. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of saflufenacil and flumioxazin doses applied to the cowpea crop on the production and quality of seeds at harvest and after storage for six months. Two experiments were carried out in a split-plot design (5 × 2). In the first experiment, the main factor consisted of saflufenacil doses (0, 25, 50, 100, and 150 g ai ha-1), while the second factor consisted of evaluation periods (after harvest and six months after harvest). In the second experiment, the main factor consisted of flumioxazin doses (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g ai ha-1) and the second factor consisted of the same evaluation periods. The treatments were designed in randomized blocks, with four replications. Saflufenacil application from 25 g ha-1 compromised the yield components and technological quality, while flumioxazin doses did not affect the yield components. Storage at 20 °C for six months decreased the physiological quality of seeds. Flumioxazin application at cowpea harvest promoted uniformity of maturity and harvest anticipation, without compromising the physiological quality after harvest.